


Midnight Talk about Boys

by Bellakitse



Series: 30 days of Tarlos [9]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Established Relationship, Gen, In love TK, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Marjan's POV, Mentions of Marjan/Mateo, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24632068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bellakitse/pseuds/Bellakitse
Summary: Marjan watches as whatever the other person on the phone – obviously someone TK is seeing – talks to him, whatever the other man is saying makes TK all but melt into the cushions of the couch as he leans back and stares dreamily at the ceiling.*When Marjan can't sleep, she finds TK in the common area talking lovingly to someone on the phone.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Marjan Marwani & TK Strand
Series: 30 days of Tarlos [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1769356
Comments: 31
Kudos: 429





	Midnight Talk about Boys

**Author's Note:**

> lauraperfectinsanity prompt [here](https://lauraperfectinsanity.tumblr.com/post/620214940542828544)
> 
> 30 days of Tarlos - Day 9

Marjan doesn’t really know what wakes her up; she’s usually blessed with being a sound sleeper, and yet somewhere after eleven, she finds herself up, staring at the ceiling of the dormitories listening to Judd’s snores one bunk over. She tries to ignore it, closing her eyes in the hope that sleep will come again. Another fifteen minutes pass before she resigns herself to being awake. She gets up softly, not wanting to wake up her other crew members, just because she’s awake doesn’t mean they should suffer too, the call alarm can ring any moment, and sleep is precious in their line of work.

As she sits up, putting on a pair of socks, she looks around the room at everyone she cares about deeply. When she first came to Austin from Miami, she didn’t expect to find a family. Honestly, she expected more of the same she had gotten in Florida, coworkers who didn’t really believe in her, instead she’s ended up with friends that have her back no matter what. She smiles to herself as she thinks about it, snickering softly when Judd lets out a loud snore, it’s a miracle any of them can sleep through that to begin with.

Only it seems that maybe one of her crew members _isn’t_ sleeping through it, she looks over at TK’s bunk to find it completely empty. No TK or Buttercup who has taken to always sleeping with the younger Strand no matter how many yummy treats auntie has. She’s not going to get over that personal blow anytime soon; it doesn’t matter what she or any of the rest of them do, if TK is around, it’s like the rest of them are invisible to Buttercup.

No accounting for taste, she thinks with a roll of her eyes. With her socks on, she silently leaves the dormitory, and Judd’s snores behind as she heads for the kitchen to get a bottle of water.

She has her water in hand heading for the common area, hoping a little television will help her brain unwind enough to go back to sleep when she hears TK.

“How was your day?” she hears him ask whoever he’s on the phone with, he hasn’t noticed her yet as he pets Buttercup who’s resting his head on TK’s lap, giving her time to study him.

She’s known him for months now; she’s seen ‘annoyingly cocky but good at his job’ TK, she seen him look vulnerable after he got shot and then told them about his addiction. She’s seen the ‘teasing’ TK as he jokes around with them, and she’s seen ‘worried gentle’ TK as he makes sure his dad eats. She’s even gotten used to ‘upset and anxious’ TK if one of them has a close call on the job. The TK she knows is a gentle guy, and yet it’s nothing compared to the look he has on his face as he listens to the other person on the line.

“That didn’t happen,” TK says, chuckling, his face bright with happiness. “You’re making that up.”

He listens for another moment before rolling his eyes, but the soft smile doesn’t leave his face. “You would _totally_ make that up,” he says again, pausing to listen. “To make me smile, of course,” he says with a grin that grows as the other person on the line speaks again.

“I miss you too, baby,” he sighs softly. “I hate when our shifts don’t line up, but I finish this shift in the morning, and then I’m all yours. Are you sure you want to pick me up? I can just go to your place; I can pick up breakfast on the way so you can sleep in.”

Marjan watches as whatever the other person on the phone – obviously someone TK is seeing – talks to him, whatever the other man is saying makes TK all but melt into the cushions of the couch as he leans back and stares dreamily at the ceiling.

“Okay _fine_ ,” he says with a lazy grin. “Who am I to say no to my hot boyfriend picking me up in his hot car.”

TK laughs at the answer his boyfriend gives him at his comment. “I’m going to let you go – _no_ , you just got off shift and need your rest. I’ll see you in the morning, sweetheart.”

Marjan watches him end the call with another soft sigh. She thinks for a moment about turning around to go back to the dorms since TK hasn’t noticed her yet as he gets lost in his little lovesick world, but she’s curious about who he was talking to, and she’s never been one to leave a curiosity alone.

“So you have a boyfriend,” she says, biting down on her bottom lip when he jumps. Buttercup, who has been falling asleep on his lap, gives him the most aggravated look he can give his favorite human.

“ _Marjan_ ,” TK gasps out, his hand over his heart. “You scared the shit out of me.”

Marjan makes an apologetic face as she walks over to him, sitting down on the other side of Buttercup, who looks at her but doesn’t do much more since TK is petting his head as an apology of his own for disturbing his sleep.

“Were you eavesdropping?” TK questions, his eyes are narrowed, but he doesn’t actually look or sound upset.

“Not on purpose, but yes,” she answers honestly, smiling when TK rolls his eyes in response.

“So are you going to tell me about the boy?” she questions again, anxious for answers. “I didn’t even know you were seeing someone; you’re only ever with us, or Officer Reyes – “ she cuts herself off, her eyes going wide when TK grins back at her.

“You’re hooking up with Officer hottie?” she hisses, earning a laugh from TK.

“I _was_ hooking up with _Carlos_ ,” TK answers, and she rolls her eyes as he emphasizes his name. The guy is hot like _fire_ , ‘Officer hottie’ is an appropriate nickname. “Now, I’m _dating_ Carlos.”

“Why have you been keeping this a secret?” she questions, frowning when TK shakes his head.

“I’m not,” he starts. “Not on purpose anyway. My dad knows about Carlos and me, and Michelle knows since she’s Carlos’ best friend. Paul even knows too since we’ve taken him with us to some clubs that are LGBT friendly. I haven’t been purposely hiding it from the rest of you guys. It’s just with our crazy work schedules, it’s hard to find alone time, so when we do have some, he and I tend to get lost in each other.”

Marjan nods, understanding what he means, she’s been in town for months and hasn’t gone on a single date, though how much that has to do with time, and not with maybe having a tiny crush on a certain probie, she isn’t ready to examine too deeply yet.

“He seems like a nice guy,” she offers. She’s only really seen Carlos on calls, but he’s always professional, kind, and empathetic.

“He’s _amazing_ ,” TK answers, that wistful expression from before coming back. “He’s such a good guy, funny and understanding, always patient and so loving,” TK continues with a far off look as he sings his boyfriend’s praises. “And when I’m with him, I just…” he trails off, letting out a sigh as he smiles to himself.

“ _Wow_ ,” she lets out, staring at her friend in amazement. “You aren’t just dating Carlos; you’re _in love_ with him.”

TK doesn’t deny her statement; instead, he just gives her a shrug, smiling down as he gives Buttercup another gentle head rub. She wonders how she missed this; she might not be a human lie detector like Paul, but she’s usually pretty perceptive, and somehow she’s missed a member of her new family falling in love. She thinks back to a few months ago when they almost lost him first to a gunshot and then to his doubts about belonging with them. She thinks of the scared look on his face when he bravely told them about his past, and is instantly filled with so much warmth and affection for the man sitting next to her.

“I’m really happy for you, TK,” she says softly, feeling her eyes sting from all the emotion she feels inside. “You deserve to be happy.”

TK stares at her, his own eyes looking a little wet as he swallows hard. “Thank you, Marjan,” he whispers, reaching out to touch her shoulder, squeezing it gently. “That means a lot.

They stay quiet for a moment, just the sound of Buttercup’s little puffs of air as he dreams filling the space as they get over their emotional moment.

“Okay, so I have one very important, burning question,” she starts with a smirk that has TK raising an eyebrow at her. “Officer Carlos without a _shirt_?” she lets the question hang meaningfully.

TK smirks back at her, his green eyes dancing with delight. “Should totally arrest himself,” he says wickedly. “It’s definitely a crime to be that hot.”

Marjan lets out a laughing shriek, laughing even louder when TK joins her.

“Seriously, Marjan, it’s a miracle I don’t choke on my own drool when I’m around him,” he says as he drops his head back on the couch dramatically.

Marjan laughs again, settling in as TK continues to speak, obviously only just getting started now that they’re on the subject of his boyfriend's beauty.

They should probably go back to the dorms and try to get some sleep, who knows if they’ll be lucky enough to get through the night without a call until their shift ends in the morning at eight. But as TK starts talking dreamily about Carlos’ eyelashes of all things, she figures she can sacrifice some sleep to watch her friend talk about his boyfriend like a high schooler with a crush.

In the morning, when she’s getting ready to leave, she thinks about all she and TK talked about as she spots Carlos waiting by the bay doors, her heart full as his face lights up just as much as her friend’s last night when TK comes down the stairs. After TK all but runs into his arms, he turns to her with a smile asking if she wants to join them for breakfast, she shakes her head no. She’s still curious about them and wants to see what they’re like together, but figures now that she knows about them, there’s time for that later. For now, she’s just happy witnessing how Carlos holds her friend close, looking at him with the same love she saw in TK’s eyes the night before.

Once they’ve left in Carlos’ cool car, she heads back upstairs, TK’s happiness inspiring her to search for her own.

She finds it still in the dorms now dressed in street clothes. “Hey probie,” she starts, her heart ticking upward when Mateo turns to her with a boyish smile. “How do you feel about you and me getting breakfast?”

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](https://bellakitse.tumblr.com/)


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